Date	Saturday, 02 October 2021
Competition	Scottish Premiership
Fixture/Score	Dundee United 1:0 Ross County
Venue	Tannadice Park
Attendance	6,548
Referee	Don Robertson
Comments	Match Report Report by Andrew Southwick for the BBC. Dundee United 1 Ross County 0 Dundee United stretched their unbeaten Scottish Premiership run to four games as they held off a spirited Ross County comeback at Tannadice. Finnish midfielder Ilmari Niskanen rifled in a first-half goal to give United a deserved half-time lead. However, Malky MacKay's strugglers improved after the break with Jordan White and Harry Clarke passing up glorious close-range opportunities. But their failure to score leaves County second-bottom of the table. And the Dingwall side are still searching for their first league win of the season after eight attempts. After the match it was revealed United were looking into allegations of a comment aimed at midfielder Jeando Fuchs, with boss Tam Courts showing a 'Show Racism The Red Card' T-shirt at full-time. Before the game, Ross County took their time appearing on the park, with Dundee United kept waiting for some time before the visitors finally emerged from the tunnel. And they took their time to get going once the action got underway too, with Niskanen and Dylan Levitt having early opportunities for United. But when they found their feet, United goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist had to save from Clarke before Harry Paton's rebound was blocked. Then Blair Spittal had a free-kick saved, but their good work was undone when the defence was caught napping as United took the lead. Siegrist's goal kick landed nicely for Harkes, who knocked the ball through to Niskanen, with the Finn hammering the ball in at the near post for his first goal in tangerine. Ross County's defending at the goal wasn't too clever and they continued to hand gifts to their hosts. Nicky Clark should have done better when he ran on to a loose ball inside the area but his shot was weak. Jeando Fuchs and Levitt peppered the Ross County goal with shots, and at the other end Spittal sent a curling shot around the wrong side of the far post as both sides continued to attack before the break. And County started the second half in encouraging fashion, and it was almost against the run of play that Clark should have put away a Fuchs cross. At 1-0 the game was still alive and County were growing in confidence. On-loan Watford striker Joseph Hungbo flashed efforts past both posts and Clarke should have buried a header from close range when he was left unmarked at a corner. Substitute Dominic Samuels found the net late on only for his effort to be ruled out for a very tight offside call. The visitors continued to press, but couldn't find what would have been just their seventh league goal of the season. After a sticky start to the season, Dundee United are on a fine run yet still very much under the radar. But interestingly, they have scored five leagues goals and are on 14 points, while Ross County have just three points from six goals. Ross County were often the architects of their own downfall, though, constantly gifting possession away. And that will be the frustration for boss Malky MacKay because they were worth at least a point on the balance of play. Dundee United assistant manager Liam Fox: "We had to really work hard for the three points. In the second half, we probably managed the game too early and we really had to dig deep. "But one thing for that group of players, when they get in front, they defend their box really well." Ross County manager Malky Mackay: "Disappointing obviously to come away without anything. I thought over the piece we deserved at least a point with the amount of chances we had. "That's something that's hard to come away with because of the amount of dominance we had. We created countless opportunities not just to equalise but to go on and win the game."
Ross County
Manager	Malcolm (Malky) Mackay
Starting 11	31: Ashley Maynard-Brewer, 5: Jack Baldwin 1, 6: Harrison Paton, 7: Blair Spittal, 9: Alexander Samuel, 16: Alexander Iacovitti, 17: Regan Charles-Cook, 18: Jack Burroughs, 20: Harrison Clarke, 22: Jordon Tillson, 23: Joseph Hungbo
Bench	1: Ross Laidlaw, 4: David Cancola, 8: Ross Callachan, 10: Dominic Samuel, 11: Alexander Robertson, 24: Benjamin Paton, 26: Jordan White
Dundee United
Manager	Thomas Courts
Starting 11	Benjamin Siegrist 1, Charlie Mulgrew, Ryan Edwards, Kieran Freeman, Scott McMann, Ilmari Niskanen 1, Peter Pawlett 1, Dylan Levitt, Ian Harkes, Jeando Fuchs, Nicky Clark
Bench	Adrián Sporle, Logan Chalmers, Florent Hoti, Trevor Carson, Chris Mochrie, Louis Appere, Kerr Smith